Matthew Suckling may not have played in the Bulldogs 2016 premiership winning side on October 1, but he was a valuable source of information for his younger teammates who had yet to experience the whirlwind of grand final week.

The 28-year-old Suckling was part of Hawthorn’s 2014 and 2015 premiership winning teams before crossing to Victoria University Whitten Oval in late 2015, and his knowledge and experience would be called upon regularly in helping what would become the 27^th youngest premiership winning team in history prepare for the biggest game of their lives.

Suckling said it often came down to the little things.

“I suppose going through the whole finals series there were little things that a few blokes would come up to me and ask about," he told westernbulldogs.com.au

“Just little things to take the stress away, like what happens at the grand final parade, because it is a pretty stressful time of the year and every little bit helps I suppose.”

Suckling himself was painfully close to playing in his third winning grand final in three years after being passed fit by Club doctors on the Tuesday, but he said personal disappointment has been overshadowed by happiness for his teammates.

“I did a fitness test (on the) Tuesday, got through that pretty good and ticked off with the docs to put my hand up for selection.

“Unfortunately for me it didn’t go that way but it was understandable considering how the boys played the week before, and considering my preparation leading into the game, not having ran too often in the last month. 

“Obviously it was hard to watch on but couldn’t have been happier for the boys to see all of their dreams come true and how special it was to them.”